How did you come up with the name Onesidezero?
The name came from a project I once studied about Mobius Strips, single sided shapes which infinitely loop. The name worked well for my artwork at the time and it’s stayed with me since.
Please could you describe your style in one sentence?
A mysterious creature taking a bath in a graphic rainbow
Can you tell us a little bit about Nature’s Creature:
Nature’s Creature is inspired by a photo I took of my cat amongst the plants in my garden. It was shot on an old Pentax camera and the background came out quite dark with the surrounding plant life appearing over exposed. I lost the photo but recreated it from memory, adding in some extra bits.
What’s the first picture you can remember drawing as a child?
I remember learning how to control my pencil shading with coloured pencils whilst drawing my own versions of the Monster Munch crisp packets; all my pictures as a child were done with the brightest pens and paints I could find.
What’s your process in creating a piece of art?
I keep a sketchbook full of ideas to make reference to when creating a new work. Pencil sketches come first followed by scanning and re-working in Photoshop, Illustrator or whatever suits the piece best.
How did you get into skateboard design?
As a kid I was amazed by skateboard graphics, I guess I saw creating board art as the ultimate job. I often bought blank decks and painted on my own graphics, it kind of became a ritual between friends each time we got a new board.
If your art was music, what would it sound like?
I like to say colourful guitar solos but I normally work to chilled out instrumental stuff so it would be a mix of those two things. Seeing my artwork in motion would give it more of a sound, something I hope to try out in soon.
What music is rotating on your iPod?
Red Snapper, Jaga Jazzist, Amon Tobin, Modest Mouse, Fink, Bloc Party, Stafrænn Hákon, Cinematic Orchestra, MGMT, This Will Destroy You, Jeniferever, Boards Of Canada, Arcade Fire, Chin Up Chin Up, Radix and Q-Tip.
What things have you seen recently that are going to inspire a piece of art?
I visited the village where my family live over the holidays and the forests, creatures and landscapes have definitely made an impact. My family are big antique collectors and I spent a lot of time photographing the patterns and typefaces on some of the pieces which I’d like to incorporate into my work if possible.
What’s the most unusual canvas you’ve painted on?
The underside of my shoes, I paint and scribble on them all the time when I’m bored.
What is your favorite color?
A Green / Blue fade; maybe something like #24acc5
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What’s the best compliment you’ve had to your art?
I get loads of mails from students about my work; it’s the biggest compliment knowing that someone is actually affected by my work so much that they are studying it.
Describe the art that you have on your walls:
I’ve got a really nice silkscreen print by Emek which I could look at forever, It depicts a huge eye in the shape of the moon watching over a forest (I’m obsessed with twilight imagery). I’ve also got some great work by Momorobo, Saiman Chow and a few pieces of my own stuff here and there.
Which artist would you most love to collaborate with?
I’d love to paint or sketch with either Gary Baseman or Lucinda Rogers.
Describe your computer:
My main computer’s a Quad Core with dual 22” monitors. I try not to fill my computers with screensavers or anything else that destroys its functionality; I like to keep things simple but did give in to ‘Drop-Clock’ when it was released.
What websites do you check out regularly?
cpluv, Dirty Mouse, The Strange Attractor and Flickr.
What are your vice and guilty pleasures?
Playing the drums far too much! I know I should be working but it’s so hard to escape when you are mid-beat. Other than that takeout food, especially Chinese or really hot pizza, foreign beers and loud music.
If you had to change careers, what would be next?
Anything where there’s no office involved, something outdoors would be nice working with architecture, landscaping or even teaching snowboarding.
